Tuesday TV

I find it ironic that the lyric that played just as I hit post was "It's 4 AM and I'm wide awake..."

Bones, “The Intern in the Incinerator”

Gripping episode…just not enough for me to form coherent thoughts about it. I don't know what it is about me and Bones this year, but we're not connecting on a meta level at all. Basically, I have three thoughts: 1) Hodgins' flat expression after Zack points out that Angela sleeps with men who aren't her husband, followed by the VIOLENT GIBBS HEADSLAP! That was too great for words. I rewound approximately 17 times.2) Hodgins giggling hysterically at Booth's Saroyan dilemma. Followed by Booth's response: "I really should take my gun out and shoot you now." Tsk, tsk. And that wasn't even the first gun-related threat of the episode. I see that spending Halloween in a Squint costume gave you no perspective at all.3) I have come to the conclusion that Cam and her sister are both mentally unbalanced.

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NCIS, “ Requiem”

I’ve been looking forward to this episode for weeks, and it did not disappoint.

I’ve mentioned an endless number of times how much I despise things that start in media res (did I finally learn the right term??) and then back it up.Even when you know that first moment is coming, and it would be hard not to given that it was the only scene showcased in the previews that played a thousand times in the week before, it destroys all sense of suspense and anticipation.You’ve seen the high point.Suddenly, what leads up to it just isn’t as interesting.

I am deeply disappointed in the recasting of Kelly Gibbs, mostly because they replaced the Cutest Kidlet Ever with Young Stella Bonasera.I didn’t recognize her at first, but the caterpillar eyebrows should have been a dead giveaway – except that was the problem.I was so distracted by her bushy eyebrows that I couldn’t pay attention to anything else, including the supposed emotional resonance of the scene.I had to keep looking away and imagining the proper Kelly in her place, because SERIOUSLY.EYEBROWS.

And, I haven’t seen “Hiatus” in a while, but didn’t they already show Gibbs leaving that last day?I don’t remember Kelly whining and bawling so much.One of the things I always liked about her was what a mature young child she was – I’d forget she was only 8 – and then here was like she regressed back to preschool.

However, I really, really enjoyed Maddie, whom I could swear I’ve seen before, possibly playing an angel because she’s stunningly beautiful, but with this soft look of innocence and youth.[Edit: Ah-hah!Another CSI: NY retread; she was the dead roller skater in “Jamalot”] She was such a sweetheart…I was worried things were going to be awkward and/or uncomfortable with her randomly approaching Gibbs and then stirring up painful memories, but to my surprise he seemed glad to be able to reach out to her, and I like the protective streak that reared up, even if it was in a twisted sort of substitute retribution for Kelly.They had an amazing dynamic.I doubt there will be a reason for us to see her again, but I like to imagine that they will keep in touch, if only occasionally.

How many lives does Gibbs HAVE?What is this, the third time he’s come back from being dead?I’m not really sure I liked the bit where Kelly sends him back; I think I’ve had enough of NCIS flirting with the afterlife (see also: “Angel of Death,” unresolved little blonde girl).As amused as I was by Tony’s “come on Boss…don’t make me kiss you” and subsequent CPR, I was a little disappointed that for all his heroic efforts, Gibbs pretty much came back on his own.I was hoping for a little more follow-up to that.

Was there anyone else in this episode?I don’t remember…oh!Abby hug, while promising that they’d find Maddie.It was one of the few times where he actually looked like he was grateful for her support rather than just tolerating her need to be demonstrative in her affections. Oh, and Jen – please take a pair of scissors to the blonde frost job on the edges of your hair.(Okay, I’m done with other characters.)

I squawked with outrage when Gibbs didn’t open the box o’ treasures and then the episode promptly ended.“What the hell?!I wanna see what’s in Kelly’s time capsule!!” I yelped.Fortunately, the announcer replied with “Want to see what’s in Kelly’s time capsule?Go to cbs.com.”Feeling quite sorry for any folks who didn’t have the internet at their immediate disposal, I went racing over as fast as I could, and was immediately filled with glee.

POLLY POCKET!!!!!!SHE HAD A POLLY POCKET!More importantly, she had a little yellow Polly Pocket locket, which is exactly the same one I own!I had a whole collection of PPs (though I have no idea where they are now…oh, I hope they weren’t garage sale fodder), but that was my very first one, acquired in first grade.I was quite proud of it, wearing it to school and everything, and I still remember the teacher warning me not to open it so that I wouldn’t lose the little doll inside.(killjoy)

And then there’s a Breyer model horse, which fills me with euphoric glee because my best friend and I had quite a collection between us. The line about Kelly painting it herself is ridiculous, but I willoverlook it in favor of the fact that it’s quite the lovely horse – the fact that I can’t identify the model, though, is driving me crazy.Oh, and for the mention that Kelly’s favorite toy, the one she couldn’t bear to put in there, was a My Little Pony.Oh yeah, right here.Kelly and I are effectively the same person (which…takes my crush on Gibbs to squicky places, so I try not to remember that too much).

The little box was crammed full of treasures, and each was as fascinating to explore as the last.Whoever came up with this idea, I love you.This is the most fun I’ve had with an “extra” in a long time.

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'House, “Whatever It Takes”

I love when the people that come to them for diagnostics turn out to have an incredibly simple and mundane affliction, but it always makes me wonder – if it was so simple, how did they end up getting sent to Dr. House in the first place?Couldn’t that sort of thing have been caught in the ER?Or do people just specifically demand treatment from the famous Greg House?

Oh well, if things like that didn’t happen, then we’d never see such amusing things as Foreman being stood up to, or Brennan poisoning patients willy-nilly.Personally, I was really excited when I thought it was polio – I’m a big fan of diseases that I recognize.Have they done tuberculosis yet?And to that end, even though I think I should be

horrified by his ends-justify-the-means action…I’m intrigued by this idea that Vitamin C could cure polio, and would like to channel funding towards it immediately.I’m going to do that, and then weep in a corner because Brennan got kicked out of the running and now I’m 60/40 on hate/love with the remaining candidates.

I was even less interested in the whole CIA case than I thought I would be (although it was pretty funny when he jovially told everyone exactly where he was, knowing they wouldn’t pay any attention), mostly because I really, really don’t want that doctor to become a permanent or even recurring cast member.I was not fond of Dr. Finch on ER.I’m similarly less than fond of her new medical persona.

I never thought of Wilson as particularly paranoid, but he absolutely FREAKS OUT at the idea that the CIA might be investigating him, so much so that afterwards he can’t even remember a 4-digit extension.Geeze.Have you been performing mercy killings in addition to secretly rolling medical marijuana joints?Are you afraid they’ve planted cameras in your office which might contain proof of the relationship your fans are convinced you’re in with House?I really can’t think where else this paranoia might come from.

Finally, it still amuses me that Cuddy doles out clinic hours as punishment.Dr. Bailey would be so disappointed to hear such a thing.

This is where I really should have watched Law & Order: SVU, but instead I flipped over to TBS because I’m that addicted to Office reruns.Seriously, I tried, but I only got through the teaser before I couldn’t hold out any longer and skipped from New York to Scranton.It’s relatively easy to pretend SVU doesn’t exist, actually, seeing as I can’t watch it online, can’t download it, and almost never run across spoilers for it.And anyway, The Office restores my soul.I think it’s rapidly joining such classics as The Simpsons and Seinfeld in terms of “comedies that I can see 800 million times and never tire of.”I am in the thick of Shiny New Fandom Obsession time, a glowing period that won’t begin to fade to normal fannish appreciation until January or so, and I’m enjoying every second.

V: Um, for the record, you picked up CSI and Lost simultaneously.And then you did another double swoop with CSI: Miami and NCIS.I’m pretty sure you can obsess over two shows at once.

RS: Of course I can.Show slot #2, however, is filled by Private Practice, which Violet and Cooper secured barely a week ago.There is no more room for new shows here.See me in summer.Or, depending on how much this damn writer’s strike destroys my television world, January.